Distributed computing systems typically include applications that are hosted on a plurality of computer devices. One type of distributed computer system is a data center (such as an Internet data center (IDC) or an Enterprise Data Center (EDC)), which is a specifically designed complex that houses many computers for hosting network-based services. Data centers, which may also go by the names of “Webfarms” or “server farms”, typically house hundreds to thousands of computer devices that form a hosting environment and are located in climate-controlled, physically secure buildings. Each of the computer devices has operational requirements that must be met by applications hosted on the computer device. Similarly, each application has operational requirements that must be met by the hosting environment.
Applications that will be hosted on distributed computing systems are typically configured to operate with a single computer device during the development phase. For example, all of the settings associated with the application are set to meet the operational requirements of a single server. During the deployment of the application, extensive modifications to the application and hosting environment settings are often required to ensure that the application settings meet the operational requirements of the hosting environment and that the hosting environment settings meet the operational requirements of the application. This process can be time consuming and expensive.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for design tools and methods that facilitate identifying and satisfying hosting environment and application operational requirements during the design phase of an application.